NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF SEMAI ABORIGINES IN PERAK REGION OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Abstract

Malaysia is witnessing rapid economic development in the past decade which is evident in newlinenutrition transition where the spectrum of malnutrition shifts from under nutrition towards over newlinenutrition. The present study appraised the nutritional status of Semai aborigines inhabited in Perak newlineregion which helped to set up baseline information for this marginalized community. Information newlinepertaining to socio-demographic, education and history of morbidity was gathered using pre-tested newlineand validated questionnaire. Nutritional anthropometry, clinical examination and diet survey using newlinetwenty-four hour recall method was used to assess the nutritional status for all age groups in both newlinegenders using WHO standard protocol. Infant and Young Children Feeding practices was newlineevaluated using WHO (2010) protocol with modifications. Food security in Semai households was newlineassessed using Radimer/Cornell Food Insecurity instrument pretested in Malaysian environment. newlineThe emerging epidemics of non-communicable diseases like obesity and hypertension was newlineassessed to identify the impact of nutrition transition on Semai aborigines. All techniques and newlinemethods of data collection employed non-invasive techniques. The results show that Semai newlinechildren below five years are inflicted with stunting (21.5 %), wasting (56.5 %) and underweight newline(41.8 %) while the rate for thinness considerably decreased with school children and adolescents newline(6.8 percent) and further decreased in adults (4.5 %). Prevalence of overweight and obesity started newlineto emerge from childhood with 19 percent of adolescents being overweight and this trend newlineincreased with adults (31.79 %) being overweight and 39.55 percent being obese. Infants, young newlinechildren and school children suffer more from macro and micronutrient deficiencies with protein newlineand energy malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency(VAD), riboflavin deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, newlineiodine deficiency and iron deficiency being the prominent ones. Except for sodium all nutrients newlinewere deficient in Semai diet while poor dietary diversity